The Immigrant Businesswomen Circle (IBWC) recently hosted a compelling keynote address by Carola Salinas, a State Farm Insurance Agent with over a decade of experience in the insurance industry. As a Bolivian immigrant who arrived in the United States 25 years ago, Carola’s story of determination, passion, and resilience resonated deeply with the IBWC community.

A Safe Space for Immigrant Businesswomen

The event began with a welcome message and introduction from Sabine Grant, a member of IBWC who briefly shared the organization’s core mission with the attendees. “IBWC provides a safe space where we can openly discuss our challenges,” she explained. “Each of us has faced struggles in our lives as immigrants and our entrepreneurial journeys. Here, we bring our concerns and uncertainties forward, knowing that through our collective wisdom and experience, we’ll discover solutions together, always finding an open ear, kind hearts and a wealth of experiences. This shared support is the foundation of our community.”

After announcing an upcoming volunteer opportunity with Women Giving Back in Sterling in May, Sabine introduced Carola Salinas as the keynote speaker.

Challenging Herself to Speak

Despite being an agent for State Farm, “the number one auto insurance company in the country,” Carola admitted she initially hesitated when asked to speak. “I haven’t done this “speaking stuff” in a very, very long time,” she confessed. “I was scared to death to sign up and say “yes”.”
What ultimately convinced her was the supportive environment of IBWC. “Because of who we are and because I know these ladies, I feel safe,” she explained, echoing Sabine’s earlier description of the group’s core values.

Self-Reflection and Personal Growth

Recently recovering from what her doctor called “major surgery” (though Carola humorously disagreed with that assessment), she shared how the experience prompted her to reflect on her personality and life journey.

“I made a self-study of myself,” she said. “We don’t stop very often to see who we are and how we present ourselves to the world.”

Carola described herself as passionate, optimistic, determined, disciplined, competitive, and ambitious. However, she also acknowledged areas needing improvement – sometimes the very same traits in excess: her determination sometimes manifests as stubbornness, her competitiveness as workaholism, and her optimism sometimes leads to rigidity and self-judgment.

“I never think I do enough, and that’s how I became a workaholic,” she reflected, connecting this trait to her childhood experiences as the middle child between two siblings, where she often felt compared to her brother.

From Bolivia to America: A 25-Year Journey

Carola immigrated from Bolivia 25 years ago with her husband and three children. Like many immigrants, her early years in America involved a series of jobs as she built her language skills and adapted to a new culture.

“I started to clean houses, and then I was a nanny because they would allow me to bring my kid,” she recalled. Despite not knowing how to say “hello” in English initially, Carola had always loved the English language, even playing games in English as a child in Bolivia.

Her determination led her to ESL classes at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). “Learning grammar, writing, reading, and understanding a lot more about how to express yourself,” she explained. Although she considered taking an accent reduction class, her busy schedule as a mother of three working full-time made it impossible.

Today, Carola embraces her accent: “When I introduce myself, I say, “I am from Bolivia, and that’s why I have this beautiful accent that I am proud of.”

Career Evolution in America

After working as a nanny, Carola took a position at her sister’s real estate office answering phones, which further improved her English skills. “You don’t know English until you answer phones in customer service and have to understand all the different accents of callers,” she laughed.

Her career path then led her to become a loan officer, where she built a network and achieved the American dream of homeownership – only to lose everything when the market crashed. With one child already at Virginia Tech and another about to attend college, she needed to reinvent herself once again.

A colleague suggested insurance, an industry Carola knew little about. “All I knew about insurance was that I bought life insurance when I came to this country. I didn’t even have a car yet,” she explained, noting that insurance wasn’t a common concept in Bolivia at that time.

Becoming a State Farm Agent

Carola’s path to becoming a State Farm agent was challenging. “You can’t buy this business. You don’t inherit it,” she explained, describing the rigorous qualification process that involved creating business plans, conducting market analyses, and interviewing with corporate executives.

Simultaneously, she studied for multiple licenses – property and casualty for auto and home insurance, plus life and health and other products. She proudly noted that State Farm offers more than 100 different insurance products.

Recently, she achieved one of her greatest accomplishments: obtaining securities licenses to become a financial advisor. “It took the life out of me to pass, especially the last exam,” she said of the four-and-a-half-hour test that required strenuous study.

“Out of all the agents in my territory, only three of us passed – my son, myself, and one other agent. I am very proud of this accomplishment.”

The Importance of Insurance

Throughout her keynote, Carola shared eye-opening statistics about insurance in America:

• 87% of Americans have insurance, leaving 13% uninsured on the roads
• A car accident occurs every five seconds in America
• Three people die daily in Virginia alone from car accidents
• 52% of Americans say they have life insurance but aren’t sure about the details
• Only 2% of life insurance policies through employers are actually paid to beneficiaries

She emphasized that having “full coverage” doesn’t necessarily mean adequate coverage. In Virginia, the minimum liability requirements (recently increased to $50,000 per person, $100,000 total per accident, and $25,000 for property damage) may not be sufficient in serious accidents.

For Carola, insurance isn’t just a business – it’s a calling. “Insurance represents the perfect harmony of purpose and profession,” she reflected thoughtfully. “I provide clients with protection tailored precisely to their circumstances and vulnerabilities. When I offer a policy, I’m delivering peace of mind—the assurance that allows you to rest easy knowing you’re protected against life’s uncertainties. This meaningful exchange not only sustains my livelihood but creates genuine value for my clients. It’s truly the most fulfilling kind of professional relationship.”

A Passion for Life Insurance

Life insurance holds a special place in Carola’s heart. “My shirt says “my language of love is life insurance.” It’s my way to say “I love you,” she shared, explaining that life insurance is typically the only money passed to beneficiaries without taxation.

She stressed the importance of regularly reviewing beneficiaries, sharing a story from her first year as an agent where a million-dollar policy paid out to an ex-wife because the policyholder, who had remarried 20 years prior, never updated his beneficiary.

Looking Forward

As State Farm celebrates its 103rd anniversary this year, Carola noted the company is planning for the next century of business, expanding beyond traditional auto and home insurance into the financial arena to adapt to changing markets.

Her story embodies the resilience, determination, and community spirit that defines the Immigrant Businesswomen Circle – a testament to how far passion and perseverance can take someone, regardless of their starting point.

For more information about Carola Salinas and her insurance services, visit carolasfarm.com.

This article is based on Carola Salinas’ keynote address at the Immigrant Businesswomen Circle (IBWC) event on April 24, 2025. IBWC provides a supportive community for immigrant businesswomen to share experiences, overcome challenges, and grow their businesses.